The Landholding Policy and Guidelines define land as being ‘surplus’ if it no longer contributes to an agency’s current or future service delivery needs.

Before being listed for public sale, surplus land is offered through a ‘first right of refusal’ process to all other Victorian Government departments and agencies as well as to local government and the Commonwealth Government. This process allows for surplus government land to be considered for community use, or for an alternative public service need, before it is released for sale on the open market.

Land transactions with or between government agencies are conducted on the basis of valuations undertaken by the Valuer-General Victoria.

Land sales to the public are conducted through an open and competitive process (e.g public auction or tender) with the reserve price being determined by the Valuer-General Victoria.

All sale transactions with a value of $750,000 or more (excluding GST) must be reviewed by the Victorian Government Land Monitor who provides government with an assurance of integrity, impartiality and accountability in land transactions.

Transacting Surplus Crown Land

The Department of Treasury and Finance undertakes all Crown land sales, with the exception of Crown land sites with a value of less than $100,000, which may be undertaken by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Before Crown land is transacted, a strategic Crown land assessment must be undertaken by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in accordance with the Victorian Government Strategic Crown Land Assessment Policy and Guidelines (PDF 270kb). A strategic Crown land assessment enables timely and consistent assessment of Native Title rights and the identification and protection of public land values inherent in Crown land.

Past, Present and Future Government Land Sales

The Department of Treasury and Finance provides a listing of surplus government land sales that are being or have been transacted by Victorian Government Departments under the following categories: